Footwear



July 3,1945. w, CQHEN 2,379,681

FOOTWEAR Filed Oct. 18, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 3, 1945. H. w. COHEN FOOTWEAR Filed Oct. 18, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v xiitlflq IN V EN TOR. 24 w y 1945 I H. w. COHEN 2,379,681

FOOTWEAR I Filed Oct. 18, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I ZJVNVENTOR.

Patented July 3, 1945 STATES PAT ENT OFFICE V i 2,379,681 l h FOOTWEAR a Harol'dW. Gohen,'Manchester,N. H., assignor to 'Bee'Bee Shoe Gompany, Manchester, N. H., a

corporation of NewI-Iamps'hire "Application October ,18, 1944, SerialNo. 559,159 "scams. es-19.5)

This inventionrelatesto improvements in footwear and methods of making footwear. More particularly lit'provides improvements in shoes and slipper of the 1 general type which have socalled slip-lasted, foreparits and which have their rear partsformed onalast -after the last hasbeen Slipped into the pro-formed iforepart.

lshoeszandtslippers of the general type to which the invention relates have various advantages over other t footwearlandtmethods sotfar asmanu- 'facturing costsare concerned. The forepart of the upper quickly {and conveniently can be stitched toan insole element or sock lining while the'shoel-or slipper is free of ralast after whioh a last i-sslipped into the pre-stitched forepart preliminary to ailasting of itherupperiatwrear portions of the shoeorslipper. l

However, so far as I .ami-aware it has-not been possible according to prior methods of making such footwear to-embody in the shoe orslipper construction a suitablylsstiff counter. 3211819130- tice has been to incorporate :a counter element between the uppermaterial and its lining which counter 'element haslhad tobe flexible enough. orplasticenough toshape itself to :the last con tour during zlastingof the rear partrof the article. As a result, when i the last is rremoved, thecounter cannot have at desired resilient stiffness such as is provided by conventional pro-formed counters.

It is an object of my invention to provide-footwear of the mentionedsgeneral type which can have a conventional 1pre+f ormed and iresiliently stiff counter therein. Inemploy structural elements, and a method OfCOII-lblHlHg them whereby a full length sock lining may be stitched tOthB lining t of the upper allaround t-he shoewor slipper whiletheshoeis free of asiastgthe uppcr,-around the forepart only,-being simultaneously stitched to the sock lining, andvthe :rear part i of the upper being leiit unstitched so that a: counter receiving within the mentioned pocket forrnedbetweenthe upper and its lining at rear portions of the shoe.

Another object is -to provide on the upperlat rear portions thereof an edge extension for being turned over upon thefiange of the countertand secured thereto after the counter has been inserted .in its pocket and after a last been inserted in the shoe.

tstilltanother object is toprovide on the upper separately stitched platform and heel covering elements, the heel-.coverii1g element being stitched to the upper exteriorly thereof withits stitch .line spaced substantially from the edge of the upper so that the edge portion of t the upper projecting .beyondtsaid stitch line .is available within the heel-covering element for the said turning over upon the counter flange, and

the platformleleinent being separately stitched to theforepart of the upper exteriorly thereof saidcovering elements being adapted to'be turned over the edges of platform and ,heel elements and secured thereto prior to applying an outsole.

It .is, .moreover, my purpose and object generally toI- improve upon prior shoermaking methods and tprior shoe and slipper structures. In the accompanying drawings:

Figurewlis .a perspective of alshoe upper, upper lining and sock lining showing the upper lining stitched to the .sock lining all around the shoe,

the stitching being done while the upper and lining are free of a last; 7

Figure 2 is a similar view showing how the iorepart of the upper is next stitched to themestitched upper lining and seek lining, and;showing a heel covering element stitched to the rear portion of the upper while thepre+stitchedupper lining and sock lining at therear portion. are left pocket :is provided "between the stitched lining and the'unstitched upper which latter, after .in-

sertion of a pre-;forrned counter 'in the pocket and after insertion ofvallasttin theshoe, maybe turned i over upon v the conventional counter flange andsecured by cemen-t thelsock lining providing a clean and attractive inner exposed surface throughout the-extent of the shoe. t

.A feature is that a conventional pres-formed flanged counter may be stapled or otherwise securecLto a basesheet which constitutes a bottom ioythe counter, andithisibasersheet and counter a are embodiedin the shoe astaunit with the base sheet underlying the socklining at the shank and heel regions andwith the counter engaged unattached to the upper by thestitching;

Figure 3 isa view similartoFigure 2 with the addition of a platform covering element stitched to the upper around its forepart;

Figure 4 is a perspective of a pre-formed counter unit; i r t Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure3 but having the pre-formed counter unit inserted in the pocket, provided between the upper and upper lining; i

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view approximately online 6+6 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a perspective of the shoe of Figure '5 after a last has been inserted therein and'showing the rear edge-projection of the upper lasted over upon the counter flange;

Figure 8 is asimilar VIEW with platform and heel units laid in place;

varied as to cut and general style and design w characteristics depending upon the style and design of the finished shoe which is contemplated. However, my invention and features have to do primarily with so-called slip-lasted shoes or slippers, the forepart of the uppers of which are stitched to an insole element or sock lining while the upper is free of a last and the last is subsequently slipped into the upper preliminaryto lasting of rear portions of the shoe.

In the embodiment herein shown, the'upper ID has associated therewith a lining l2 which extends throughout the upper. As seen in Fig. 1, this lining I2 is stitched as at I4 to a full length sock lining It all around the latter while the 'shoe is free of a last, the upper remaining without direct connection to the sock lining after this initial stitching.

Having stitched the lining I2 and sock lining I6. together as in Fig. 1, a heel covering element l8 of flexible sheet material is arranged upon Y the upper around the rear part of the upper as seen in Fig. 2,-the side of the sheet element It which is to be exposed in the shoe being toward the upper in Fig. 2. Then the upper l 0 is stitched to the pre-stitched lining and sock lining all .around the forepart as at in Fig. 2, and this line of stitching is continued around the rear part of the shoe as at 22, thereby to stitch the heel covering element I8to the upper all around the rear part. However, the rear portions of the pre-s'titched lining and sock lining are depressed or otherwise moved so as to be clear of the stitches 22 around the rear part of the shoe, which leaves the rear part of the upper still free from direct attachment to the pre-stitched lining and sock lining and provides an open pocket 24 between the'lining l2 and the upper I0 around the counter r region of the shoe. An edge projection 26 of upper material extends substantially beyond the stitch line 22 all around the counter region for a purpose which. later will appear.

Fig. 3 shows a platform covering strip 28 of flexible sheet material arranged around the forepart of the upper and separately stitched thereto by the line of stitching 30, although it may be put on prior to the stitching at 20, 22 so as to be secured by the stitches 20. However, I have found it preferable to separately stitch the strip 28 as in Fig. 3 and to have it over-lap a little the heel covering element l8 as shown at 32.

According to my invention, a resiliently stifi pre-formed counter may be embodied in the shoe structure as made and assembled as herein described. Such a ore-formed counter 34, as best seen in Fig. 4, has the conventional base flange 36 and, preferabl the counter is preliminarily stapled as at 38, or otherwise secured, to a bottoming element 40 so that the counter and its b0tt0m ing element may be inserted in the shoe .as a'unit.

This counter unit of Fig. 4 is arranged in the shoe as shown in Fig. 5, with the relatively stiff side walls of the counter inserted in the pocket 24 I formed, as previously described, between the lining l2 and the upper III at the rear part of the shoe. Preferably the counter unit is put in while the shoe structure continues free of a last, after which a last 42 may be slipped into the upper preparatory to lasting of rear parts of the shoe. It is desirable in most cases to coat the interior surfaces of the counter and its bottoming element with a suitable adhesive so that the lining l2 and sock lining It will become securely and smoothly adhered thereto when last 42 is inserted.

The rear portion of upper I0 is now ready for lasting by turning the-edge extensions 26 thereof over upon the flange 36 of the counter and securing them in their positions of Fig. 7 as by cement.

The-soleand heel structures to be applied to the intermediate structure of Fig. 7 may be variously shaped and combined to vary the design and style at the base regions of the shoe. As

represented in Fig. 8, a wedge type of heel block 44 is combined with a full length platform element 46', the block 44 being secured to the platform by cement with or without additional mechanical fastenings, and the platform may be coated on each side with adhesiveso that it may be stuck on the structureof Fig, 7 as shown in Fig.- 8. after which the platform covering strip 28 is turned over the edge of the platform and inward against the cement-coated marginal regions of the exposed face of the platform, and

the heel covering element 3 similarly is turned over the heel unit andsecured to exposed martrated in Fig. 9.

Anoutsole element 48 finally is adhered or otherwise secured in place to provide the completed shoe seen in Fig. 10.

-If desired, the platform may have extent only at the forepart and be butted against the forward edge of the heel block as suggested in Fig. 11.

' ginal regions thereof, as by cement, all as illus- It will be obvious from the foregoing description that I have provided an economical and practical method of making and assembling shoe elements in a manner to permit embodiment in a slip-lasted shoe structure of a desirably resiliently stiff pre-formed counter, and otherwise have improved shoe making proceduresandresulting shoe structures. 4 l

I claim as my invention:

1. The "method of making an article of footwear comprising stitching a full length sock lining to the lining of a shoe upper all around the sock liningand stitching the upper to the sock lining only around the forepart' of the sock lining and leaving the rear part of the upper free from direct attachment to the sock lining, said stitching being done while the'shoe upper and lining are free of a last, followed by inserting a pre-formed resiliently stiff counter with base flange between the upper and lining at the rear portions thereof 4 with the base flange of the counter underlying the sock lining, and then slipping a last into the upper and lasting the rear part of the upper and turning and securing edge portions thereof over upon the base flange of the counter, and completing the shoe by applying and securing thereto outsole and heel elements.

2. The method of making an article of footwear comprising stitching a full length sock lining to the lining of a shoe upper all around the sock lining and stitching the upper to the sock from direct attachment to the sock lining, stitching a heel covering element to the upper around the rear part of the upper and exteriorly thereof and leaving a substantial edge portion of upper projecting beyond the stitch line, stitching a platform covering strip to the upper around the forepart of the upper and exteriorly thereof, all of said stitching being done prior to insertion of a last in the shoe upper, followed by inserting a flanged resiliently stiff pre-formed counter be tween the rear portions of the upper and lining and then inserting a last in the upper, after" which said rear projecting edge portionof the upper is turned over and secured to the flange,

of the counter, platform and heel elements applied, and said platform and heel covering elements turned over the edges of their respective elements and secured to marginal regions of the exposed sides thereof, and finally applying and securing an outsole thereon.

3. The method of making an article of footwear having a pre-stitched slip-lasted forepart anda lasted rear part, comprising stitching an upper,

its lining and a platform cover strip to a full length sock lining around only the forepart of the sock lining, and stitching only the lining of the upper to the sock lining around the rear portionof the sock lining, and stitching a heel cover rear portion ofupper by turning said projecting counter between the rear portions of the upper and lining with its flange underlying the sock lining, said rear portion of theupper being lasted and having an edge portion turned over upon and secured to the flange of the counterfan outsole element andheel, and means securing the outsole element and heel to the upper.

3 6. Ari-article of footwear comprising an upper, a lining, a sock lininggand platform and heel covering means, in which the upper, its lining and said covering means are stitched to the sock lining around the forepart of the article, and

the lining only is stitched to the sock lining around the rear portion of the article, and said covering, means is stitched only to the upper around the rear portion of the article with a substantial edge portion of the upper projecting beyond the line of the latter said stitching, a preformed flanged and stifi counter between the rear portions of the upper andlining with its flange underlying the said sock lining, said rear portion l of the upper being lasted and having its said projecting edge portionturned inward over and se-' ouredto the flange of the counter, a platform and a heel over the edges of which said covering means is wrapped, and an outsole secured on the platform and heel elements; 3 l

edge portion thereof over upon the flange of the counter, and then applying platform and heel elements and turning the platform and heel cover strips respectively over the edges thereof and inward over marginal regions of the exposed faces thereof, and finallyapplying and securing an outsole thereon.

4. The method of combining footwear elements for reception of a pre-formed counter atthe rear portion thereof, comprising stitching a full length sock lining to an upper lining all around the sock lining and to the upper only around the forepart thereof, leaving the rear portions of the upper and its lining free fromdirect securement together so that a pre-formed counter may be inserted between them, said stitching being done prior to insertion of a last in the upper, and said rear portion of the upper having edge extent capable of being turned inward during a lasting of said rear portion of the upper subsequent to insertion of a lastin the upper.

5. An article of footwear comprising an upper,

a lining and a sock lining in which the upper and tion of the article. a Dre-formed stiff flanged "I. An article'of footwear comprising an upper,

a lining and a sock lining, all stitched together around the forepart only of the article, and the lining and soclclining being stitched together around the rear portion of the article, leaving the rear portion of theupper free of the latter said stitches, a stifi pre-formed flanged counter between the lining and upper around the rear portion of the article with the flange of the counter underlying the sock lining, said rear portion of upper being lasted and edge parts thereof,

being turnedoverupon and secured to the flange of the counter, a platform element and a heel,

and means secured to the upper and wrapped around the edges of said platform and heeLIand an outsole secured on the platform and heel.

l 8. An article of footwear comprising an upper,

- a lining, a socklining and. platform and'heel portion of the article, and said upperand coverl ing means being stitched together aroundthe rear portion ofthe article, a stiff pre-formed flanged counter between theuppen and lining,

around the rear portionof the article with its flange underlying the sock lining, the rear part of the upper being lasted and having edge parts thereof turned over upon and secured to said flange of the counter, aplatforrn element and a heel, said covering means being turned over the edges of the platform and heel, and an outsole secured to theplatform and heel.

HAROLD W. COHEN. 

